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Mould - storage

9 replies

Jellyytots · 09/03/2025 09:39

I’m moving home and everything will be going into storage for approximately 12 months

I don’t want anything to happen to my possessions, ie clothes, bedding, towels, soft furnishings, etc

The only thing I could think of would be to put some sachets of silica gel inside the boxes

I’m going to buy wardrobe boxes to hang my clothes in because I don’t want everything folded for that long I think it will ruin some of my clothes

Would this work?

Any other suggestions about how I can keep my items mould free, free from damp and safe for such a long period in storage

TIA

OP posts:
Geneticsbunny · 09/03/2025 09:41

I would put all clothes in sealed plastic bags to protect from clothes moths. Everything else which could be damaged by damp I would put into plastic boxes.

Jellyytots · 09/03/2025 09:48

Geneticsbunny · 09/03/2025 09:41

I would put all clothes in sealed plastic bags to protect from clothes moths. Everything else which could be damaged by damp I would put into plastic boxes.

Will silica gel not work?

Do you mean those bags where you suck all the air out? I don’t really want to do that to my clothes because I’d be worried after 12 months like that they would never be the same again.

I’d be worried about plastic boxes getting perhaps a bit sweaty inside. The storage units aren’t temperature controlled. So will get cold in winter and hot in summer

I have some nice coats and other items of clothing, which I don’t really want to get squashed. That’s why I was using the wardrobe boxes.

OP posts:
Elleherd · 10/03/2025 09:22

Sorry no time to edit this down!
Little silica gel bags wont do much in a cardboard hanging wardrobe. It's just a tall box at the end of the day. Put them into the bottom of sealed garment bags, maybe.

IME chosing the right place, then 'shrouding' quality clothes in acid free paper, and placing in good quality zip up garment bags, is your best bet if you want to store them hanging for a year, in a standard metal walled storage unit.

An awful lot can happen in a storage unit in a year, and conversely nothing can happen. including both case scenarios in the same building with different units.

You have other threads mentioning 'good coats' and 'designer' bags, as well as worry.
A lot of the answers depend on where you're storing and is it an old building converted, or purpose built. (They both have different issues, but some never affect the majority of users.)

The later are very common - purpose built storage units at roof level is a bad idea for a year, they nearly all have effectively metal roofs and get very hot in summer and very cold in winter. Below ground level depends on how water tight the building actually is, many are very damp hidden behind shiny metal walls, many develop damp as a result of what's going on next to them. (building, road works etc.)

Converted buildings often have a nasty tendency to have incoming water issues, leaks, pipes, roofs, floods.

Rodents are common in both. They walk* and burrow in, and people illicitly store things they eat. Some places develop serious clothes moth infestations. Use your eyes, and don't just look at the unit you're being offered, check out the building.

Ground floor units are at a premium, and often have *higher rodent issues.
Take nothing with a pipe running through it. (even when they swear blind it's disused.) There's a reason it's discounted.
For a years storage you want a unit bang in the middle of the building.

Once in, leave a gap at the sides for air flow. (and if you want to get serious; use pallets to create an air vent underneath) If using cardboard boxes: use shelving to reduce stacking, rather than stacking floor to ceiling. Heavy at bottom, light on top.

All companies reserve the right to move you to a different unit if they 'need' to. Their concept of 'need' is generally whatever works best for their business.

If you're not there to do the move, it will be done for you. That fabulous manager you trusted has often gone elsewhere in four months. The ethos of a place can change quickly. Your careful stacking may not be adhered to. ('It's what insurance is for' is the argument)
Companies are brought out by bigger companies and the rules and conditions changed underneath you, including what you are allowed to store. (or is covered by insurance)
If you're leaving it for a year (especially if not visiting) prep your goods that truly matter, for worst case scenario's, and hope for best case. If you're going abroad etc, have a contingency plan. You probably wont need it, but if you do, you'll be so glad you figured out here.

Most cardboard boxes, including hanging wardrobes, use glue that is food to beetles and moths. Hanging wardrobe for a year without further protection is a total gamble. You may be perfectly fine, you may not be.

Most cardboard used in boxes contain acids.
This stuff only gets really important when talking about preservation, and longer term storage with certain materials, but includes stuff like vintage Christmas decorations, some metal fasteners and decoration on expensive bags, belts etc, metal thread embroidery, silk embroidery, art, some books, etc.

Acid free tissue paper and acid free brown paper are your friends there, and worth spending on and layering if you're trying to look after specific items.
Unless very deeply wrapped, don't then use standard tape, string or plastic ties on them. (don't buy supposed cheap acid free tissue from China, it rarely is.)

Thoroughly clean all materials before storage. If dry cleaning hang for at least 72 hours afterwards if packing up.
Standard stuff like bedding, towels etc, use vacuum bags, doesn't have to loose all the air, and rolling instead of folding, will ensure no deep creasing. But you can also use standard poly bags, inside cardboard boxes. Double bag if worried about moths.

Wool and silk need to breathe (I know nothing about leather) but are favored material for clothes moths so it's always a balance.

Proper cedar wood will deter clothes moths so if you are talking something seriously 'good' or entirely irreplaceable, vintage etc, then cedar wood boxes are the ultimate bug protection, not cheap, but hold good resale value. Pick the right ones, and they actually increase in value.

There are acid free plastic storage boxes with vents, which are excellent, but they're expensive and not much of a resale market, because mainly brought by professional institutions, as new.

Really Useful Boxes are expensive, but do the job properly, and have a good resale market as highly durable and recognized by lots of different sectors as worth snapping up.

Standard plastic boxes degrade quite quickly, so tend not to do as well for resale, but you can get lucky, especially if you stick to known brands.

Jellyytots · 11/03/2025 02:30

Thank you for all your advice
It’s a metal walled storage unit, not an old building, purpose-built warehouse type place with ground floor and first floor only
Unfortunately, I’m not well and don’t go out so I won’t be able to go and view it. I’m having to do all of this over the phone and reviews online, so I can’t check out the building unfortunately until I get there on the day
The two places I’m looking to use, I’m going to decide one this week both said that they don’t really have anything on the ground floor so it’s likely to be first floor
To make sure when I get there that there are no pipes in the unit they are giving me and will try for one somewhere in the middle of the building
I’m kind of on a budget, so I won’t be able to stretch two pallets and shelving. The boxes will just be piled up.
They’ve both told me my things won’t move. I’m not sure if you’re in the UK but I will be the one with the padlock and the key so they can’t get in there anyway, but they have said my things won’t be moved to another unit so I’ll have to see what happens. I’d be there to supervise anyway because they’d need the key.
I don’t have any friends or family, so have absolutely no contingency plan. I’m not exactly sure what you’re suggesting. I need a contingency plan for, but I don’t have anyone anyway
You have scared me about the hanging wardrobes, but there’s not much I can do really. I’m not happy about it, but I’ve got no choice but to put my things in storage
The only thing I’m really concerned about is my bags. I don’t have any of the other things that you have mentioned I vintage Christmas decorations, embroidery, etc.
I have some designer silk scarves which I will be believing in the boxes that they came and packed inside a box so I’ll just have to cross my fingers they are okay when I come back to them in a year
I will look into the Cedarwood
I don’t think I want to use plastic boxes. I feel like if it gets hot, they could get sweaty inside.
Thanks for such a comprehensive reply

OP posts:
Jellyytots · 11/03/2025 02:31

Elleherd · 10/03/2025 09:22

Sorry no time to edit this down!
Little silica gel bags wont do much in a cardboard hanging wardrobe. It's just a tall box at the end of the day. Put them into the bottom of sealed garment bags, maybe.

IME chosing the right place, then 'shrouding' quality clothes in acid free paper, and placing in good quality zip up garment bags, is your best bet if you want to store them hanging for a year, in a standard metal walled storage unit.

An awful lot can happen in a storage unit in a year, and conversely nothing can happen. including both case scenarios in the same building with different units.

You have other threads mentioning 'good coats' and 'designer' bags, as well as worry.
A lot of the answers depend on where you're storing and is it an old building converted, or purpose built. (They both have different issues, but some never affect the majority of users.)

The later are very common - purpose built storage units at roof level is a bad idea for a year, they nearly all have effectively metal roofs and get very hot in summer and very cold in winter. Below ground level depends on how water tight the building actually is, many are very damp hidden behind shiny metal walls, many develop damp as a result of what's going on next to them. (building, road works etc.)

Converted buildings often have a nasty tendency to have incoming water issues, leaks, pipes, roofs, floods.

Rodents are common in both. They walk* and burrow in, and people illicitly store things they eat. Some places develop serious clothes moth infestations. Use your eyes, and don't just look at the unit you're being offered, check out the building.

Ground floor units are at a premium, and often have *higher rodent issues.
Take nothing with a pipe running through it. (even when they swear blind it's disused.) There's a reason it's discounted.
For a years storage you want a unit bang in the middle of the building.

Once in, leave a gap at the sides for air flow. (and if you want to get serious; use pallets to create an air vent underneath) If using cardboard boxes: use shelving to reduce stacking, rather than stacking floor to ceiling. Heavy at bottom, light on top.

All companies reserve the right to move you to a different unit if they 'need' to. Their concept of 'need' is generally whatever works best for their business.

If you're not there to do the move, it will be done for you. That fabulous manager you trusted has often gone elsewhere in four months. The ethos of a place can change quickly. Your careful stacking may not be adhered to. ('It's what insurance is for' is the argument)
Companies are brought out by bigger companies and the rules and conditions changed underneath you, including what you are allowed to store. (or is covered by insurance)
If you're leaving it for a year (especially if not visiting) prep your goods that truly matter, for worst case scenario's, and hope for best case. If you're going abroad etc, have a contingency plan. You probably wont need it, but if you do, you'll be so glad you figured out here.

Most cardboard boxes, including hanging wardrobes, use glue that is food to beetles and moths. Hanging wardrobe for a year without further protection is a total gamble. You may be perfectly fine, you may not be.

Most cardboard used in boxes contain acids.
This stuff only gets really important when talking about preservation, and longer term storage with certain materials, but includes stuff like vintage Christmas decorations, some metal fasteners and decoration on expensive bags, belts etc, metal thread embroidery, silk embroidery, art, some books, etc.

Acid free tissue paper and acid free brown paper are your friends there, and worth spending on and layering if you're trying to look after specific items.
Unless very deeply wrapped, don't then use standard tape, string or plastic ties on them. (don't buy supposed cheap acid free tissue from China, it rarely is.)

Thoroughly clean all materials before storage. If dry cleaning hang for at least 72 hours afterwards if packing up.
Standard stuff like bedding, towels etc, use vacuum bags, doesn't have to loose all the air, and rolling instead of folding, will ensure no deep creasing. But you can also use standard poly bags, inside cardboard boxes. Double bag if worried about moths.

Wool and silk need to breathe (I know nothing about leather) but are favored material for clothes moths so it's always a balance.

Proper cedar wood will deter clothes moths so if you are talking something seriously 'good' or entirely irreplaceable, vintage etc, then cedar wood boxes are the ultimate bug protection, not cheap, but hold good resale value. Pick the right ones, and they actually increase in value.

There are acid free plastic storage boxes with vents, which are excellent, but they're expensive and not much of a resale market, because mainly brought by professional institutions, as new.

Really Useful Boxes are expensive, but do the job properly, and have a good resale market as highly durable and recognized by lots of different sectors as worth snapping up.

Standard plastic boxes degrade quite quickly, so tend not to do as well for resale, but you can get lucky, especially if you stick to known brands.

had to post this again because this was meant to be a reply to you and it wouldn’t let me delete my original post

Thank you for all your advice
It’s a metal walled storage unit, not an old building, purpose-built warehouse type place with ground floor and first floor only
Unfortunately, I’m not well and don’t go out so I won’t be able to go and view it. I’m having to do all of this over the phone and reviews online, so I can’t check out the building unfortunately until I get there on the day
The two places I’m looking to use, I’m going to decide one this week both said that they don’t really have anything on the ground floor so it’s likely to be first floor
To make sure when I get there that there are no pipes in the unit they are giving me and will try for one somewhere in the middle of the building
I’m kind of on a budget, so I won’t be able to stretch two pallets and shelving. The boxes will just be piled up.
They’ve both told me my things won’t move. I’m not sure if you’re in the UK but I will be the one with the padlock and the key so they can’t get in there anyway, but they have said my things won’t be moved to another unit so I’ll have to see what happens. I’d be there to supervise anyway because they’d need the key.
I don’t have any friends or family, so have absolutely no contingency plan. I’m not exactly sure what you’re suggesting. I need a contingency plan for, but I don’t have anyone anyway
You have scared me about the hanging wardrobes, but there’s not much I can do really. I’m not happy about it, but I’ve got no choice but to put my things in storage
The only thing I’m really concerned about is my bags. I don’t have any of the other things that you have mentioned I vintage Christmas decorations, embroidery, etc.
I have some designer silk scarves which I will be believing in the boxes that they came and packed inside a box so I’ll just have to cross my fingers they are okay when I come back to them in a year
I will look into the Cedarwood
I don’t think I want to use plastic boxes. I feel like if it gets hot, they could get sweaty inside.
Thanks for such a comprehensive reply

OP posts:
beetr00 · 11/03/2025 03:24

@Jellyytots just adding to @Elleherd comprehensive reply

For your;
bags
scarves
moisture control

Wishing you all the very best 💐

Jellyytots · 11/03/2025 04:33

beetr00 · 11/03/2025 03:24

@Jellyytots just adding to @Elleherd comprehensive reply

For your;
bags
scarves
moisture control

Wishing you all the very best 💐

Thank you 😊

OP posts:
Elleherd · 11/03/2025 07:58

Really sorry you're unwell, and apologies re contingency plans. I didn't make it clear that I was talking about if you where going abroad for a year and potentially dealing with any issues from another country.
You have far fewer concerns if you're able to be present on request. If you are able to visit when you can, it will allow you to monitor things.
I appreciate if you're unwell then things like picking up free shelving and pallets through Gumtre etc is probably not an option.

It sounds like you have a difficult situation to manage, so explaining the intricacies of how storage contracts actually work if things change, isn't going to help, and building a good relationship with management is the most sensible thing.

I am in the UK and have used long term storage both domestically and for business, on and off for over a decade. (mainly in London, where staff turnover is high, profit margins tighter, less stability and some surge pricing) But many people have trouble free experiences.

With a limited budget I'd try and buy acid free tissue, and as many breathable garment bags as you can. It isn't what they're designed for, but I've put several garments into the bags together, long term, without issues. (Though that's using a boxed clothes rail rather than a wardrobe box. With the later I'd use some caution with weight distribution on the bar.)
I'd wrap the bags in acid free tissue paper if at all possible and double box them, and same with the scarves. You loose a little packing space but gain greater piece of mind.
Also wishing you all the best.

Elleherd · 11/03/2025 07:59

This may get pulled, hence separate post, but I have had good deals and good experience buying packing materials and boxes from K.H. Packaging Ltd, I have no links to them other than as a satisfied customer. - check if you're in their free delivery area.

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